Education

Biological Profiles

The orange clownfish was first described by Lacepede in 1802 as Lutjanus percula and later redescribed as Amphiprion
percula. The genus name Amphiprion is derived from the the Greek word "amphi" which means on both sides and the Greek word
"prion" which means saw. A synonym used in past scientific literature is Amphiprion tunicatus by Cuvier in 1830.

The orange clownfish is native to the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region. Their distribution ranges
from Northern Queensland, Australia to Melanesia, including New Britain, New Guinea, New Ireland, the Solomon Islands,
and Vanuatu.

World distribution map for the orange clownfish

Habitat

The orange clownfish is a non-migratory species that lives in tropical marine lagoons and seaweed reefs at
depths ranging from 3 to 49 feet (1 to 15 m). This fish forms symbiotic associations with the anemones Heteractis crispa,
Heteractis magnifica in outer reefs, and Stichodactyla gigantea on shore reefs.

The orange clownfish has 30-38 pored scales with no interruptions along the lateral line. Their
dorsal fins contain a total of 9 or 10 spines.

The orange clownfish resembles the clown anemonefish
(Amphiprion ocellaris), however there are some
characters which distinguish it. One distinction between these two species is the black band
that separates the orange color from the white bands. The orange clownfish has thick black bands that
separate the orange and white coloration on the body while the clown anemonefish has thin black bands
which are sometimes so thin that they appear to be absent. Also, the orange clownfish has a
more brilliant coloration than that of the clown anemonefish. When viewed from a head-on perspective, the
orange clownfish has a head with a pronounced bulge similar to a frog while the clown anemonefish
lacks this bulge. These two species also differ in the color of the iris. The orange clownfish has a
bright orange iris which has the effect of making the eyes look smaller, while the clown anemonefish possesses
a grayish orange iris which gives the appearance of the eyes being larger than they actually are.

· Coloration

The orange clown-anemonefish is orange with three white bands on the head, middle, and tail regions. The middle band
bulges forward toward the head centrally. Black stripes separate the orange and white coloration on the body. The bands
can range from a thick black line to patches of black on the sides of the anemonefish. The fins of the orange-clown
anemonefish have black tips.

·Size, Age, and Growth

The maximum reported total length of this anemonefish is 4.33 inches (11.0 cm). The standard length of the male orange-clown
anemonefish is 1.42 inches (3.6 cm), while the female is larger at a standard length of 1.81 inches (4.6 cm). These fish are
highly resilient fish with a minimum population doubling time of less than 15 months. In the wild, they live 6 to
10 years, while in captivity they are recorded as living as long as 18 years.

The diet of the orange-clown anemonefish consists of numerous prey items. They forage on algae and plankton as well as
obtain food from the host anemone. The anemonefish will eat the dead tentacles of the anemone and any leftover food prey
from the stinging tentacles of the anemone.

· Reproduction

The mating behavior of the orange-clown anemonefish takes place in a social group consisting of a breeding pair and 0-4
non-breeding fish, with a strict dominance hierarchy. The larger fish is always the female while the second largest
is the male. They are the only two individuals that reproduce within the group. The non-breeding individuals progressively
decrease in size further down the hierarchy.

Anemonefishes are characterized by being protandrous hermaphrodites which means that all fish develop into males first and then
potentially into females later. More than one anemonefish may reside in the same anemone, however if the female were to be
removed from the group or die, the largest male would then become female. Females control males through aggressive dominance,
thereby controlling the formation of other females.

The warm tropical waters where this species resides allows for year-round spawing. The monogamous bond between the male and
female is very strong. Days before spawning occurs, the male's behavior changes to include extending his anal, dorsal and
pelvic fins as well as
preparing the nest. The nest site is critical to the survival of the eggs. Nests are usually located on a patch of bare rock under
the protection of the host anemone's tentacles. This bare rock is initially cleaned by the male with his mouth, who is later
assisted by the female. However, after spawning occurs, male parental care is crucial during the time when the eggs are
vulnerable to predators.

Spawning activity may last from 30 minutes to over 2 hours during which the female makes multiple passes over the nest, releasing
eggs each time as she gently brushes the surface of the nest. She is closely followed by the male who externally fertilizes
the eggs as she releases them. The number of eggs released may vary from 100 to over 1,000, dependent upon the size and age
of the female. Each egg measures 3-4 mm in length.

The male mouths and fans the eggs throughout the incubation period while also being on guard against predators. Additional
protection from predators is provided by the host anemone's stinging tentacles. The male also removes dead eggs and debris
to keep the nest well oxygenated.

Incubation takes 6-7 days, followed by the release of a larva from each egg measuring 3-4 mm in total length. The newly
hatched larva sinks to the benthic environment but then quickly swims to the surface of the water via "phototaxis", using
light to orient itself. The larva then spends approximately a week among the plankton. At about 8-12 days after hatching,
the juvenile anemonefish settles to the bottom in search of a host anemone. Repeated interactions with a host anemone
stimulates the anemonefish to produce its protective mucous coating in the process of acclimation. It is believed that
during the first encounter with the anemone, the orange-clown anemonefish lightly touches the tentacles with its ventral
fins, followed by its entire body. It may be stung by the tentacles numerous times before acclimation occurs.

· Predators

The orange-clown anemonefish are prey for a number of fish such as sharks, stingrays,
and other larger bony fishes. While the eggs are susceptible to predators, they are attached to a substrate that is protected
by the anemone's stinging tentacles.

Importance to Humans

This species is not harvested for consumption but is popular in the
aquarium trade. This species is often kept by home aquarists due to its hardiness in captivity. Recently, there has been
a surge in interest as a result of Disney's film Finding Nemo, in which the main character is an orange-clown anemonefish
named "Nemo".

Conservation

The orange-clown anemonefish is not listed on the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Redlist as an endangered or
threatened species. IUCN is a global union of states, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations in
a partnership that assesses the conservation status of species. This fish is successfully raised in aquaculture
facilities which decreases the pressure on wild populations to supply the saltwater aquarium trade.